2019 was a very dynamic year in regards to the civil actions related to the family and children. Our most significant accomplishments, achieved with others, have been the withdrawal of the National Child Strategy 2019-2030 and the postponement of the entry into force of the Law for Social Services by 6 months.In January, the Society and Values Association sent the authorities an Open Statement, which over the span of a week had been supported by more than 8000 citizen online and on behalf of 35 civic organizations, requesting the withdrawal of the National Child Strategy 2019-2030. The support of the online Statement garnered nearly 22,000 signatures over the next few months.

We appreciate the views and recommendations expressed in the area of protection against domestic violence and violence against women in our country, in your capacity as UN representative on violence against women.

In connection with your statement and recommendations* made to our country, we would like to inform you about the following:

1. The reason for Bulgaria's rejection of the Istanbul Convention is not the mistranslation and misunderstanding of the term "gender". The reason for the rejection of the Convention is the fact that it does not comply with the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Here's what part of the Constitutional Court decision №13 of July 27, 2018** states in connection to that:

The year 2018 was extremely dynamic, with key outcomes for the future of our country and beyond!The biggest victory for us was the withdrawal of the draft bill on ratification of the Istanbul Convention and the subsequent decision of the Constitutional Court, which declared it to be inconsistent with Bulgaria's highest law - the Constitution! Despite the enormous external and internal pressures, thanks to the active support of civil society, the Church, various politicians, public figures, doctors, teachers, psychologists, lawyers, etc., the efforts made by us all have been successful. Society and Values Association ​​(SVA) were the first who alarmed on the consequences of the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, with the petition in September 2017, and with our letters to the government later.​

- We know that Bulgarian Prime Minister Bojko Borisov is against Istanbul Convention (IC), so why was the issue put on the Constitutional Court?- Being under a huge pressure from the EU officials our government promised them many times that Bulgaria will ratify the IC during the Bulgarian EU Chairmanship. The decision the ratification bill to be filed into the parliament was taken with the vote of our prime minister Boiko Borissov.The Istanbul Convention divided not just the parliament but the whole society. Over 70% of the Bulgarian people were against it. There were many protest and lots of media coverage about it. Lots of parents, teachers, professors, doctors, NGOs etc. were against the IC. The term “gender” became a bad word. LGBTI groups behind its ratification were exposed, including the propositions of changes in the law and for “gender” equality education in the school system they made. GERB’s ratting was dropping too. Than 75 members of the Parliament, from Boiko Borissov party (GERB) turned to the Constitutional Court weather on not the IC is against our Constitution.

In response to your Joint Message of Support to Sofia Pride 2018 from June 8, 2018[1], we would like to kindly inform you that

- "Gender identity", unlike “sexual orientation”, is not recognized as anti-discrimination ground in any bindinglegal text of the UN, the Council of Europe and the EU[2], including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that you refer to in your message.

- The concept of "gender identity" formulated in the Yogyakarta Principles (2006)[3]and the Yogyakarta Principles plus 10 (2017)[4]has never been publicly debated and democratically accepted in the member states of the UN, the Council of Europe, and the EU. There is no public consensus on this kind of political manifesto for new public values ​​and a society of the future.

- „Gender identity“has never been and is currently not a common European value.

We are grateful that in 2017 we kept on achieving significant victories in relation to preserving human dignity and freedom, marriage and the family. ​Here is a summary of what happened throughout 2017 and how are we going to remember it:This year we coordinated and conducted the “Marriage Week” for a sixth consecutive yearin Bulgaria. In the beginning of February, the news of a 30 percent rise in the number of marriages and 14 percent decline in divorces since the start of this initiative in 2012 was broadly reflected in the media.

Thousands of people were reached by the video interviews we conducted with people who are both successful in the business and have healthy families. The wonderful stories and photos we received on social media for the competition “Our ‘I DO’” which took place during the “Marriage Week” inspired hundreds of people.

Throughout this past year we chose to concentrate our efforts mainly in two exciting initiatives for encouragement and support of the marriage and family. ​The first one is the “Marriage Week”, which takes place in Bulgaria for five consecutive years, from 7thto 14thFebruary. The “Society and Values Association” is, hence, the originator and coordinator of this initiative for Bulgaria.

Thanks to the active participation of friends and supporters of the “Society and Values Association”, the “Week of Marriage” was also backed upby respected in our society individuals and married couples (see more here: goo.gl/Oa8ICL). We conducted video interviews with these people where they shared personal examples and messages and thus we managed to reach and inspire tens of thousands of people.

Looking back on 2015 there were a number of successful initiatives that we as an Association participated in, but none more so than the massive increase in the awareness of and participation in Marriage Week 2015.This was the fourth consecutive year that Society and Values Association were actively involved in Marriage week and comparing year on year statistics, 2015 saw more than twice as many married couples opting to deepen and strengthen their marriages by participating in the daily challenges. A highlight of the campaign was the written feedback received from some of the couples, that shared how Marriage Week had refreshed their relationship and deepened their resolve to devote more time to one another.

The marriage situation in Bulgaria is not going well. According to Eurostat we are at the last place of conducted marriages in Europe in 2013 per person. 59 percent of the children are born outside of marriage. According to Gallup’s agency research big part of the young people consider as normal living together without getting marriage.Don’t you think that we can do something more about the marriage and family?

This year we were so amazed to see a huge media interest and a vast social support of the Marriage Week, including Sofia Orthodox Church, the Catholic, Protestant churches and the Jewish community.

We believe it is worthy each one of us to take part and contribute by giving, according to his/her ability, to see more healthy and successful marriages in our country!

Sofia, 19.05.2015 MP Stephen Kenov of the "Bulgarian Democratic Centre” political party has said that the draft of a bill to legalise prostitution in Bulgaria has no support and will not be adopted in this Parliament.

"I want to apologize to all Bulgarian citizens whose moral values ​​I somehow threatened. Nevertheless, at the moment I see no parliamentary support,” he said on one of the Bulgarian national TV channels on Friday.

The reason for the invitation and Kenov's apology in the media was an open letter, sent by 25 organizations, that was sent to the government the day before, asking them to oppose the legalization of prostitution in the country.

Otherwise, the bill was expected to be tabled in the National Assembly within weeks. The purpose was to legalize brothels, getting them to pay an annual licence fee and charging 10% income tax on all brothel employees.

Mihaela Djorgova from Association of Society and Values, coordinator of the initiative, said to the media, that everywhere where prostitution has been legalized there is a significant increase in human trafficking, sexual exploitation and illegal prostitution.

Society and Values Association (SVA)

is civil organization registered on June 7, 2007, by a group of proactive citizens. SVA mission is to educate, motivate and mobilize more like-minded citizens to uphold values and policies that protect the human dignity and freedom, marriage and family at a National and European level, so we can see healthy families and societies.